A number of cyanoalkyl opioids were prepared and examined for antinociceptive activity, narcotic antagonist activity, binding to the opiate receptor, and physical dependence capacity. One of these compounds, the 1-N-cyanoethyl-3-hydroxymorphinan was found to be from 20 to 100 times more potent than morphine. This levo enantiomer was found to have 100,000 times the binding affinity of the dextro enantiomer. Stereospecificity of this magnitude has never been observed before. The purpose of the project is to determine the effect of a cyanoalkyl moiety on an N-nor opioid.